Optoelectrical Connector With Insulated Nested Contacts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optoelectrical connectors face issues with exposed electrical connection parts leading to electrical shock, performance degradation, and malfunctions due to foreign material attachment, and suffer from abrasion and reduced processing accuracy.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an insulation sleeve and conductive contacts in the receptacle housing, along with a ferrule assembled body that includes an insulation ferrule and a conductive cylindrical member in the plug housing, ensuring that electrical connections are not exposed and using ceramic materials to prevent abrasion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If electrical connection parts are exposed to enable easy connection, then ease of operation is improved, but safety deteriorates due to electrical shock risk and foreign material attachment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by placing the conductive contact inside a recessed cavity of the connector housing. The contact is nested within the housing structure, creating a protected internal space that prevents direct exposure while maintaining functional accessibility during connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an elastic cover that flexes to expose or conceal the conductive contact. This flexible shell allows the contact to be accessible when needed for connection while automatically protecting it when not in use, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and safety.
2Ease of operation
If electrical connection parts are exposed for accessibility, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to foreign material attachment causing short-circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive contact is nested within a recessed cavity in the connector housing, creating a protected internal space that prevents foreign materials from reaching the contact surface while maintaining functional accessibility during proper connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic cover acts as a flexible protective shell that seals the conductive contact when not in use, preventing foreign material attachment while allowing easy access during connection by simply moving the cover.
3Reliability
If metal materials are used for conductive ferrules to enable electrical connection, then electrical conductivity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to abrasion and processing accuracy degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite construction where a metal core provides electrical conductivity and a ceramic outer layer provides abrasion resistance and dimensional stability. This composite structure combines the advantages of both materials to resolve the contradiction between conductivity and manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different material properties to different parts of the ferrule structure. The inner core uses conductive metal for electrical function while the outer surface uses ceramic for dimensional stability and wear resistance, optimizing each region for its specific function.
Data Source
AI summary
An optoelectrical connector is composed of a plug to which a wire and an optical fiber are assembled and a receptacle to which the plug is inserted and connected. A receptacle includes insulation sleeves and conductive contacts in openings of receptacle housings, and plugs include a ferrule assembled bodies which are composed of an insulation ferrule which holds an optical fiber and a conductive cylindrical member which holds the ferrule and to which a wire is assembled, in an opening of the plug housing. When the plugs are inserted into the receptacle, the contacts and the cylindrical member contact with each other and the ferrules are inserted into the sleeves. Parts which serve electrical connection are not exposed.